Cotton picking machines and the like



Oct. 8, 1963 w. F. LEE ETAL COTTON PICKING MACHINES AND THE LIKE FiledNov. 4, 1960 IN VE N TOR-5' William F. Lee Joseph B. Allen 2. M a y 4.0./74 4;:-.,,, ATTORNEYS fi mm moat.

COTTON PICKING MACHINES AND THE LIKE William F. Lee, Glendale, andJoseph B. Allen, Spartanbnrg, S.C., assignors to W. Avery Quinn,Converse, and

W. J. Wyatt, Spartanbnrg, S.C.

Filed Nov. 4, 1960, Ser. No. 67,374

12 Claims. (Cl. 242-55.1)

Our invention relates to improvements in cotton picking and analogousmachines used by the textile industry, and has particular reference tothe lap roll forming means thereof.

Picking machines, according to known and usual operation of textilemills, are employed to make uniform webs or bats known as picker laps,which are removed from the machine in the form of large rolls and aresubsequently to be used as feed material for carding machines.

In the final, or lap roll forming, operation of the usual pickingmachine, the aforementioned picker laps are wound onto a cylindricalcore, customarily referred to as a pin. This core-providing pin isfloatingly carried by so-called fcheeks which are usually removable andrise I from opposite sides of the picker machine frame, said pin and thesubsequently formed lap roll thereon being supported and frictionallyrotated by subjacent laterally spaced driven rolls.

Heretofore when a lap roll of predetermined size has been formed andremoved from the picking machine, considerable time and manual labor isrequired to properly position the heavy core pin, for a succeeding laproll, in the side cheek-provided guides above and in engagement with theaforementioned driven rolls. stallation, each core pin has to beproperly coated throughout its length and diameter, with an oil film sothat the cotton or other lap delivered to it will be readily picked upand wrapped therearound to start a lap roll. Owing to the size andWeight of the core pin, proper oiling of same has been an unhandy andtime consuming operation.

Therefore, the present invention has among its primary obiects to (1)provide cheek-carried means to support and effect the automatic oilingof the next to be used core pin during the rearward dofling movement ofa completed roll form lap; and (2 to provide for automatic non-manualmeans for properly locating a previously oiled core pin in laproll-starting position immediately a completed lap roll has been doffed.Thus, the invention is calculated not only to save labor, but also tospeedup production, and the latter particularly since no time is lostdue to lap roll dofiing.

Another important feature of the invention is the provision of floatingmeans for pressing against and, in effect, ironing the lap roll beingformed, so as to guard against so-called splits and bad selvage. Thisironing means preferably takes the form of the weighty next-to-be usedcore pin which is rollingly supported by rearwardly and upwardlyinclined portions of the novel side cheeks, which constitute animportant feature of the instant invention.

Additionally, the invention contemplates, as the previously mentionedcore pin oiling means, a lubricant dispensing connector for theaforementioned side cheeks.

Invention also resides in various novel features of construction,combination, and arrangement, and in modes of operation of the variousparts of the now preferred embodiment of our advance in the art which isshown in viously susceptible of other mechanical expression within thespirit and scope, of the subject matter claimed here inafter. V

In the drawing, wherein the same reference characters Also, before in-United States Patent 3 1 06,356 Patented Oct. 8, 1963 2 have been usedto designate the same parts wherever they appear in the several views-FIG. 1 is afragmentary side elevational view, partly in section, of thelap roll-forming rear end of a picker machine embodyingour invention,but with certain conventional elements such as the lap supply means ofFIG. 1A deleted;

FIG. 1A is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of a standardpicker machine having conventional side cheeks, a lap roll beingillustrated in the process of formation;

FIG. 2 is a broken view illustrating the FIG. 1 structure in top plan;and

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of FIG. 1 illustratingthe support means for one of the yielding cheek-carried core pin buffersof FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawing by reference characters and turning, forbackground purposes to FIG. 1A, it will be noted that this viewillustrates the lap roll forming rear end of a conventional cottonpicker. Here, the loose fibre-defined web or batt 6 is shown to bedelivered, as usual, from condenser cylinders 7 by way of the familiarcompressor rollers 8 to conventional parallel and adjacent driven rolls9 for the formation of the superjacent roll form lap 6a about the corepin 10.

Still referring to the conventional picker of FIG. 1A, it will beunderstood that the core pin It), with its ends in the check 11 providedslots 12, initially rests upon rolls 9 to be frictionally rotatedthereby as is also the sub.- sequently formed lap 6a. In accordance withstandard practice, the core pin 10 is oil coated to facilitate its pickup of fibrous web or batt 6 delivered thereto by rolls 9.

Instead of our novel presently to be described cheek plates, the artmachine of FIG. 1A discloses the aforementioned conventional cheeksll asrising from opposite sides 14 of the picker frame in opposition to theendsnof the roll-form lap (in. When the lap 6a has reached apredetermined size the picker drive means is cutoff and the lap 65: isdotted, or taken on of the machine. In carrying out the doflingoperation the lap 6a, supported by engagement of the fprojcting ends ofits core pin 19 with the arched rear portions 11b of cheek plates 11, isrolled rearwardly until said core pin ends rest in the cheekprovidedrear end seats 13. Later, the completed lap will be removed from seats13-for storage or for feeding to a carding machine.

But before the conventional picker of FIG. 1A can again be put inoperation, a core pin 11 for the next lap 6a must be manually positionedon the driven rolls 9 with its ends in the vertical cheek-provided slots12. This is very time consuming and since the pin 10 is very heavy, itis a two man job, the necessity for which our invention obviates.

Corning now to what constitutes our invention, and turning to FIGS. 1and 2, our novel side wall 14 carried cheek-s 15 are seen to provide theoutwardly extending base flanges 16, the rectangular upwardly projectingbuffer member-carrying forward portions 17, and the upstanding laterallyspaced and re-arwardly extending reserve core pin supporting portions 18which are, of lesser height than the forward cheek portions 17.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the space between the rearflange-incorporating ends 17a of the forward buffercar'rying cheekportions 17 and the vertical forward ends 20 of rear reserve core pinsupporting cheek portions 18 cooperate with the base flanges 16 toprovide the initial seats 19 for the respective reduced ends 10a of theconventional core pin 10 of the to be produced roll form lap 6a. Thus20, 20 and the lower portions of 17a, 17a form the rear and forwardwalls, respectively, of seat 19.

It will be understood from FIGS. 1 and 1A that as the diameter of thedriven roll 9, 9 supported and rotated lap 6a increases the core pin 10rises vertically so that its ends are lifted out of the cheek providedseats 19 of FIG. 1 and 12 of FIG. 1A.

According to the old-in-the-art FIG. 1A structure, the reduced free endsof the rising core pin 10 bear against vertical cheek-provided edges.But in accordance with our invention such ends 10a of the rising corepin 10 bear against the yielding forward cheek portion 17 carried buffer'24. This, buifer 24, along with its functions and advantages, will bereferred to in detail later on herein.

In carrying out the invention and after the diameter of lap 6a has soincreased that its periphery extends rearwardly of the plane of therounded forward ends 21a of the reserve core pin-supporting edges 21 ofthe rear cheek portions 18, as indicated in FIG. 1, novel use is made ofa reserve core pin 10'.

The aforementioned reserve core pin 10 which has theretofore beensupported in a ready position crosswise of the rear end of the pickerwith its ends in the novel cheek 15 provided seats 23, is now liftedforwardly so that its pintle ends are rollingly supported on theforwardly and downwardly extending top edges 21 of the rear cheekportions 18. This means, as indicated in FIG. 1, that said reserve pin10' will roll forwardly to bear against the periphery of the rotatingroll-form lap 6a, so that the latter will be subjected to an ironingaction by the heavy reserve pin 10. This ironing action is verydesirable because it is very effective in preventing so-called splitsand bad sel'vage in the roll form lap 6a.

The novel means for oil-coating the reserve core pins 10 (which ofcourse are identical with core pins 10), will now be referred to. [inthis connection it will be noted that the opposed sides of cheekportions 18, at points just short of the upwardly projecting stops 22 atthe rear ends of the reserve pin-supporting edges 21, carry the combinedlubricant applicator and cheek portion ('18) spacer 25.

The combined cheek portion (18) spacer and lubricant applicator 25, asillustrated herein, is a split lubricant and wick-carrying tube havingits ends carried by brackets 26 which are adjustably secured as at 27 tothe opposed wall surfaces of cheek portions 1-8. A wick 28 extendsoutwardly through the tube 25 split, which latter is substantiallylongitudinally coextensive with tube 25.

In accordance with our invention, a reserve core pin 10' isautomatically oiled by the operation of doffing a completed lap 6a fromthe rear end of the picker. Such rearward movement of the lap 6a bringsthe reserve pin 10' into rolling contact with wick 28 before its pintleends reach stops 22, so that an oil film is applied to said pin 10 tofacilitate the subsequent picking up of the start of the next lap 6a. Bythe time the completed lap 6a has been rolled rearwardly over and pastthe reserve pin 10, the latter has been properly oil coated. After lap6a has been manually rolled rearwardly over the reserve pin 16' Whichhas been halted by stops 22, said completed lap 6a is either removedfrom the picker entirely or is located with its core pin ends 10a in thenow unoccuped reserve pin seats 23. As soon as the completed lap 6a isout of the way, the reserve pin 10' of course simply rolls down cheekedges 21 against the shock absorbing buffers 24 and into seats 19 forthe start of a second rollform lap 6a. No manual labor or loss of timeis involved, and the next lap 6:: can be started immediately.

The yielding buffers 24 comprise elongated plates spacedly overlying therear ends 17a of cheek portions 17 with their lower ends extending intopin seats 19 to spacedly interpose between the heavy travelingreplacement pin 10 and the exposed periphery of the forward roll 9. Thuscheek portion ends 1711 and the forward roll 9 are protected againstshock damage, and the pin 10 against exterior scarring.

Also, when. the pins 10, 10 are tubular and have ball races therein tosupport and facilitate separation of same from a headed core rod (notshown) then buffer 24 protects the ball race assemblies against damage.However, such a tubular core rod-carrying pin forms no part of thepresent invention and hence has not been illustrated herein.

Referring to the mounting of yielding buffers 24, FIGS. 1 and 3 show thelatter as supported by two vertically spaced and forwardly extendingrods 29. These rods 29 pass through edge bearing recesses 30 in theoutturned flanges 17x at the rear ends 17a of cheek portions 17 and areguided in bearings 31, 31a carried by the respective vertical outwardlyextending and laterally spaced cheekprovided ribs 32, 33.

The buffer carrying rods 29 are urged rearwardly by encircling coilsprings 34 interposed between rod-carried stops 35 and the relatedrib-carried bearings 31a, as indicated in FIG. 1.

For reinforcement purposes, the upstanding buffer (24) carrying portions17 of the cheeks 15 will have outwardly extending reinforcing top andforward end flanges 17b, 170, respectively. Also as earlier pointed out,the lubricant applicator 25 functions as a check 15 spacer.

From the foregoing, it is believed that the construction, operation, andadvantages of the invention will be clear. The removable cheek plates orframe poitions 15 are fixedly secured to the flanged tops of the pickerside walls 14 in the usual or any preferred way.

Having thus described our invention, what is claimed is.

1. In a picker machine for loose cotton or other fibrous materialwherein a sheet form batt is delivered to and wound about a floating anddriven core pin to provide a roll form lap, the combination of a frameproviding side portions, driven parallel lap rolls carried by said frameside portions and supporting and driving said core pin and the lap rollformed, thereon, opposed cheek portions provided by said frame sides andopposed to the ends of the lap roll :to be formed, said cheek portionshaving open topped seats through which end portions of the core pinextend, said cheek portions providing downwardly inclined top portionsextending approximately from the forward end of the frame andcommunicating with said seats, a core pin for a succeeding lap rollfreely supported on said inclined top cheek portions and making ironingengagement with the lap roll being formed, and said succeeding core pinrolling into said seats for supporting and drive engagement with saidlap forming rolls upon removal of a completed lap roll, and atransversely extending lubricator for the exterior surface of saidsecond core pin, said lubricator being carried by opposite sides of thepicker frame at a point remote from said seats and disposed adjacent theplane of said inclined second core pin-supporting cheek portions so thatthe second core pin can be rolled thereagainst, the applied oil coatingfacilitating core pin pickup of the sheet form fibrous material suppliedthereto.

2. In a picker machine for loose cotton or other fibrous materialwherein a sheet form batt is delivered to and wound about a floating anddriven core pin to provide a roll form lap, the combination of a frameproviding side portions, driven parallel lap rolls carried by said frameside portions and supporting and driving said core pin and the lap rollformed thereon, opposed cheek portions provided by said frame sides andopposed to the ends of the lap roll to be formed, said cheek portionshaving open topped seats through which end portions of the core pinextend, said cheek portions providing downwardly inclined top portionsextending approximately from the forward end of the frame andcommunicating with said seats, a core pin for a succeeding lap rollfreely supported on said inclined top cheek portions and making ironingengagement with the lap roll being formed, and said succeeding core pinrolling into said seats for supporting and driving engagement with saidlap forming rolls upon removal of a completed lap roll, and the oppositecheek portions of said picker frame sides providing upstanding corepin-opposed edges rising from the seat wall portions which are remotefrom said inclined roll-supporting side portions and which extend abovethe latter, and yielding core pin-intercepting buffers carried by saidupstanding core pin-opposed edges.

3. The combination set fonth in claim 2, and the frame side-providedcheek portions being removable from related frame side portions.

.4. The combination of claim 1, and said lubricator including a bar-formmember which also functions as a brace between opposite picker sides.

5. The combination of claim 1, and said lubricator comprising a splitoil reservoir-providing tube providing bracket-form end closures and alubricant dispensing Wick extending through said tube split forengagement with said second core pin.

.6. The combination of claim 2, and said buffers extending into saidcore pin seats, whereby to protect exposed and adjacent core pin andlap-supporting drive rolls.

7. The combination set forth in claim 2, and said buffers comprisingplates, rearwardly extending-supporting rods for said plates, pickerside wall-provided guide means slid-ably supporting said rods, andyielding means normally tending to maintain said buffer plates spacedoutwandly from said upstanding core pin opposing edges.

I8. In a picking machine providing a frame having side members and lapend-opposing cheeks carried thereby, each of said cheeks providing anopen topped core pinreceiving seat and rearwardly extending core pinsupporting edge leading thereto; the combination of a cheek carried corepin lubricator adjacent the plane of said core pin supporting edges andlocated rearwardly of said seats, whereby a core pin can be lubricatedbefore disposition in said seats.

9. The combination of claim 8, and core pin supporting edges beingdownwardly linclined in the direction of said seats.

11. The structure of claim 8, and the rearwardly ex I tending corepin-supporting cheek edges providing upstanding stops rearwardly of saidlubricator, whereb a next-to-be used core pin, rolling on said edges,will be actuated rearwardly to be oil coated by said lubricator in therearward dofiing movement of a completed lap before engaging said stops.

12. In a picker machine for loose cotton or other fibrous materialwherein a sheet form batt is delivered to and wound about a floating anddriven core pin to provide a roll form lap, the combination of a frameproviding side portions, driven parallel lap rolls carried by 1 saidframe side portions and supporting and driving said core pin and the laproll formed thereon, opposed cheek portions provided by said frame sidesand opposed to: the

ends of the lap roll to be formed, said cheek portions having opentopped seats through which end portions of the core pin extend, saidcheck portions providing downwardly inclined top portions extendingapproximately from the forward end of the frame and communicating withsaid seats, a core pin for a succeeding lap roll freely supported onsaid inclined top cheek portions and making ironing engagement with thelap roll being formed, and said succeeding core pin rolling into saidseats for supporting and drive engagement with said lap forming rollsupon removal of a completed lap roll.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,856,136 Kawazura et a1 Oct. 14, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 836,664 FranceJan. 24, 1939'

8. IN A PICKING MACHINE PROVIDING A FRAME HAVING SIDE MEMBERS AND LAPEND-OPPOSING CHEEKS CARRIED THEREBY, EACH OF SAID CHEEKS PROVIDING ANOPEN TOPPED CORE PINRECEIVING SEAT AND REARWARDLY EXTENDING CORE PINSUPPORTING EDGE LEADING THERETO; THE COMBINATION OF A CHEEK CARRIED COREPIN LUBRICATOR ADJACENT THE PLANE OF SAID CORE PIN SUPPORTING EDGES ANDLOCATED REARWARDLY OF SAID SEATS, WHEREBY A CORE PIN CAN BE LUBRICATEDBEFORE DISPOSITION IN SAID SEATS.